Manao Thai, the Sellwood-area restaurant owned by former Pok Pok chef Ekkachai "Chew" Sakkayasukkalawong, plans to close for good as soon as this week, according to several customers and as confirmed by the restaurant.

I was thinking of Manao, and in particular chef Chew's excellent gaeng hung lay, while writing my review of Southeast Portland's Tarad last week. Both restaurants are comfortable expanding Thai food beyond red-yellow-green curries and gloppy pad Thai, but Tarad has a better sense of the power of good design.

"The space, with office-like ceiling panels and a wide tile floor, is
sparse, decorated by framed orchid paintings, Buddhist statuary and
little else. Next door is a nail salon. But great Thai food can be found
in far seedier strip malls, from Los Angeles' Jitlada to Las Vegas'
Lotus of Siam.

"More worrisome is the lack of customers. If (Andy) Ricker opened a Sellwood
shop selling just those fish sauce wings, the line would stretch to Oaks
Bottom."

That sentiment was echoed by one local customer last week in an email about the closure:

"I think if they had had the good fortune to find a space
in a livelier part of town, like N.E. Alberta, which draws people from all over
the city, instead of Sellwood/Moreland, which depends much more on local trade,
they would have been successful. Makes me ashamed for my neighborhood."